Midford Maid
by PinkPlasticPrincess
Summary: After Elizabeth's disappearance in the Blue Cult Arc, she finds herself a shell of her former self. A broken girl, she accidentally summons a demoness and forms a contract with her. Now with a new maid by her side, Elizabeth is ready to start over.. If she can. Something's happened to her that's changed her fundamentally. Cover image by Rikkatan on deviantART
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

How much time had gone by since her initial disappearance? One couldn't say. How far from home was she? One couldn't say that, either. What was certain was that it was spring.

The blonde, if she could even be considered a blonde anymore with how dirty her hair was, was resting under a blooming tree. Her clothing, that of a young noblewoman, was torn and extremely dirty. Had she been living in the wilderness all this time?

A warm breeze billowed. The leaves and flowers of the tree's canopy stirred and rustled in the wind. A faint buzzing could be heard.

She slowly opened her emerald eyes, which remained beautiful even in her current, unhygienic state. She raised her left hand above her head. Her fingernails, uncared for, had grown jagged and dirty. Tears brimmed her eyes.

"I can never let anyone see me like this. Not in this state." That was a funny thought, as she hadn't engaged with another sentient being in a very long time now. Whenever she saw people in the distance, she fled, worried that they may recognize her. But no one would recognize her now. She no longer resembled Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford. Not physically, mentally, or emotionally. For all anyone knew, she was dead.

"I might as well be." She whispered as the warm tears began to pour over.

The buzzing, which had been faint, suddenly grew in magnitude. It was nearly unbearable.

Elizabeth's hand, which had still been raised, suddenly had something land on it. It was a dragonfly, in a beautiful shade of green. As soon as the creature landed, its wings went still, and the buzzing ceased.

" _I think you've come much too far to give up now."_

Elizabeth's heartbeat quickened. Had she really just heard someone's voice? She didn't know how to feel about it. She had been lacking human interaction for so long now.

The dragonfly cocked its head, and the girl could see her sickening reflection in the creature's beady, purple eyes. She sniffled, and squeezed her own eyes shut.

" _Now, now. There's no need for tears."_ The voice came again, and Elizabeth realized that it belonged to a woman.

She opened her eyes and glanced around carefully without much movement. She didn't want to disturb the dragonfly resting on her hand. There was no one around but her and the insect.

"I must be going crazy." She squeaked, and the tears kept flowing. When would her pain end?

" _I could end your pain very quickly, if that is what you want."_ The voice came again, and the dragonfly rubbed its front most legs together. " _But that wouldn't be as much fun."_

Although still somewhat upset at the prospect that she could be hallucinating, Elizabeth was beginning to care less and less. "Fun.. I haven't had fun in such a long time now.." Tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she gazed at the insect resting on her hand.

" _I don't see why we can't start now."_ The voice came once more.

"Start now? I can't do anything when I look like this. I look positively dreadful!" Who exactly was she talking to?

" _That's right. I'm getting ahead of myself here. You still haven't told me what your human heart desires more than anything."_

Elizabeth's emerald eyes widened at the word "human". How oddly specific. There was no way her mind would hallucinate something like that. Her chest tightened in fear.

"W-Who are you? Where are you?" She let out.

" _Why, I'm right in front of you."_ The voice answered, and Elizabeth suddenly realized that the voice was referring to the dragonfly perched on her hand.

Gently, Elizabeth brought her hand closer to her face. The hand was filthy, but she barely noticed. She was too entranced by this mysterious insect.

" _That's right, you're catching on now."_ The dragonfly cocked its head to the other side.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked again, forgetting that she was speaking to something incapable of understanding human speech.

" _I'm whoever you want me to be."_ The dragonfly answered, crawling to the tip of the girl's index finger.

"What's that supposed to mean? I don't understand." The tears had stopped by now, and Elizabeth was whispering, as if someone might overhear.

" _That's right, most humans are unaware of my kind's existence."_ The blonde didn't know what that was supposed to mean. Of course humans were aware that dragonflies existed!

The dragonfly took note of the puzzled look on Elizabeth's face. " _I'm not referring to dragonflies, my dear. I'm much more than that."_

"I can see that." Elizabeth whispered. "I have never met a dragonfly that could talk before today!"

A thought suddenly struck Elizabeth. "Are you an angel that's come to save me?" She asked the dragonfly.

The dragonfly chuckled. " _No, I'm not a holy being. I am far from that. But I can set your life right, if you'll just allow me to help you."_

If a human had asked Elizabeth to let them help her, she would have declined. But this wasn't a human. This was a dragonfly, and possibly more.

"..Alright." It felt like a weight had been lifted off of the girl's chest.

" _Form a contract with me, and every wish that you could ever imagine will be granted."_

Elizabeth's heart sank a little bit. "You aren't going to help me just because?"

" _My child,"_ The dragonfly spoke. " _As much as I would like to help you for free, we both know that's not how the world works."_

"What is it that you want from me? I haven't any money on my person." Elizabeth was getting a nagging feeling, that something wasn't right here.

" _There is only one thing that I want from you, my dear."_ The dragonfly gazed intently at Elizabeth. " _When our contract has come to an end, I will take and consume your soul."_

The world around her seemed to crumble. The tree, the sky, and the ground had faded away. It was just her and the dragonfly. If Elizabeth were in a healthy state, she would have been horrified. She would have run away, leaving the dragonfly behind. While she was certainly scared, she wasn't scared enough to run. To have all her wishes granted, in exchange for her soul? For her pain to be put at rest once the fun was all over? Nothing sounded more delightful to her.

"I.. I accept." Elizabeth informed the dragonfly with a quivering voice.

" _If that's the case.."_ The dragonfly suddenly manifested into a woman's hand that held Elizabeth's own hand gently. A body began to materialize. " _..I think we should begin."_


	2. Chapter 1- Her Maid, Contracting

_**AUTHORS NOTE:**_ **This is short and a little bit rushed, I mostly wanted to get it up so that I could get more feedback to work with for future chapters. Let me know what you think.**

 _ **Chapter 1**_

"I'm curious to see what a dragonfly would look like as a woman." The girl had said as the dragonfly manifested into a feminine figure.

"Is that the form you would like me to take on? I can't promise that it will be very sightly." The dragonfly, which was now becoming a woman, informed her.

"You mean, there are other options?" Elizabeth blinked. "I suppose.." She thought back to what had always comforted her. "..Something cute."

"Cute?" The shadow woman repeated, a smile curling into place where her mouth would be. "Well, there is one form that I am particularly fond of." The woman tilted her head back, raising her arms above her head as she allowed herself to finish materializing.

The woman before Elizabeth had flawless, caramel skin that looked soft to touch. Her eyes were the same shade as the dragonfly's- a reddish purple. Her hair was a vibrant green, worn in loose pigtails.

The clothing covering her body was in the style of that of a maid, but in less traditional colors. The dress and gloves were the same green as Elizabeth's eyes, but with accents in that same reddish purple.

"Will this do?" The woman asked with a curtsy.

Elizabeth managed to muster up a small smile. "Yes, that will do wonderfully. Those colors are to die for. They remind me of.. Of the pictures I've seen of the aurora borealis."

The woman curled her brown lips into a smile once more. "I can't say I've ever heard that one before."

"Tell me." Elizabeth began. "What am I to call you? What is your name?"

"My name is whatever you desire it to be." The woman informed her new mistress with a small bow. "As part of our contract, you get to decide a name for me."

The blonde didn't hesitate. "I think "Aurora" to be a fitting given name for you, just like the northern lights."

"An excellent choice, my lady." The newly named Aurora bowed again. "Will you be giving me a surname, as well?"

"Ah, yes. That would be the proper thing to do. We can't exactly let you be without a surname." Elizabeth considered this, touching a dirty finger to her cheek. "I'm thinking.. "Newcomb". It means "newly come", and you are newly come into my life.."

"Another excellent choice, my lady. Then please, from now on, refer to me as "Aurora Newcomb" whenever possible."

"So, Aurora. You must tell me more about this contract we are to have." Elizabeth sat on the grass under the tree in her filthy, torn dress. "I know that you want to consume my soul in the end, and I can see that you are not of this world given how you can change your form.. But what else is there to it?"

Aurora knelt across from Elizabeth in her dark green dress. "My lady, I can tell by looking at you, even in your current state, that you are a lady of high social class. Given such information, I figured it would be appropriate to fulfill our contract from the role of a lady's maid. With your permission, of course, my lady. There is also the matter of the terms of our contract and the contract seal."

"Of course you are welcome to serve at my lady's maid, Aurora!" Elizabeth leaned forward a bit, then gazed down at the ground in a dismal fashion. "Though I must warn you, I haven't felt like a noble woman in quite some time now."

"We can fix that, my lady." Aurora reassured the blonde.

Elizabeth lifted her head to gaze at Aurora. "You mentioned the terms of our contract and the contract seal..? What exactly is the contract seal?"

Aurora's left glove, which was wrist length, green, frilled and adorned with purple stitching, was slipped off of her hand to reveal two things. The first, and most obvious thing, was Aurora's fingernails. While in much better shape than Elizabeth's currently were, they were pitch black. The second thing became visible as Aurora turned her hand over. There was an odd, green and purple pentagram on the back of Aurora's hand.

"This is my contract seal." Aurora held her hand out for Elizabeth to see, who rubbed at her eyes with her dirty fists. The blonde couldn't believe what she was seeing!

"What.. What is it for?" Elizabeth asked foolishly.

Aurora smiled apologetically. "Per our contract, this seal must be branded somewhere upon your body. Luckily, the location is entirely of your choosing."

Elizabeth averted her eyes upon hearing this, as if she were displeased and didn't want to think about it. "And the terms of our contract?"

"That would be the main "wish" you would like me to grant, upon the granting of which, I will claim your soul. I'd advise you not to make this decision lightly, as it will be the driving force behind our whole partnership. Similarly.." Aurora's expression grew serious. "This is your only chance to turn back. Once we finalize this contract, you will never be able to reach Elysium. There is no repentance for this sin."

Elizabeth lowered her head, taking a deep breath. "I may never know what happened to Ciel during that time when he was gone, and I pray that he never finds out what has happened to me. I know that whatever he had gone through, is worse than what I have suffered. But even so, that doesn't change the fact that I am at my lowest point right now." Elizabeth's voice cracked as tears welled up in her emerald eyes. "I need to be able to start over, even if that means throwing my soul away, Aurora. What I want is for.."

The blonde choked out her wish to the unholy being before burying her filthy face in her dirty hands.

Aurora moved closer to Elizabeth, pulling a handkerchief from her purple apron's pocket. "You've done well, my lady. Just a little more, and then I can begin easing your pain."

Elizabeth moved her hands away from her face, allowing Aurora to wipe away tears and dirt. "Do you promise?"

"I promise, my lady." Aurora bowed her head. "Please instruct me on where to brand the contract seal.. The deal will be finalized."

Elizabeth shuddered. Aurora's seal was not ugly, but it was not beautiful, either. It would have to go somewhere where no one other than Aurora or herself would ever see it. If her parents were to see it, or Edward..

Elizabeth also thought back to what Aurora had previously said to her. Elizabeth, like Ciel, had been raised Catholic. But she had noticed, that ever since Ciel had returned with his butler clad in black years ago, that Ciel's faith in anything holy had greatly diminished. Ciel no longer attended church. To be fair, after what she had gone through after leaving home, Elizabeth herself was starting to question if a god existed. What god would allow these things to happen to a young girl?

She had made her decision.

"I… I want it on my sternum." Elizabeth informed Aurora, slowly beginning to pull down the top of her dirtied dress.

"Very well, my lady." Aurora reached out her unclothed hand towards Elizabeth's flesh, which was covered in grim.

The blonde trembled as she watched, wondering if the branding would hurt or not. She became more and more anxious as she could feel the heat radiating off of Aurora's palm.

The searing pain was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Her voice pierced the heavens that she would never reach, and she fell into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 2- Her Maid, Cleansing

_**Chapter 2**_

Elizabeth felt warmth on her sternum as she faded back into consciousness. Her eyelids fluttered open to an eyeful of vibrant, green hair.

"What are you doing?" She weakly whispered to Aurora.

"My apologies, my lady." Aurora dipped her head a bit. "I thought it would be best to clean your wounds while you were unconscious, so that you wouldn't feel it sting."

"My wounds?" Elizabeth repeated, still groggy.

"Why, of course. In addition to the branding of the contract seal, you had many, my lady. Don't tell me you were unaware of their presence?"

Elizabeth turned her head to avoid Aurora's gaze, instead finding herself face to face with a grungy wooden wall. "Where are we?" She asked instead.

"My apologies, my lady." Aurora began again. "It's not fitting for someone of your status, but we are in the spare room of a house belonging to a common man."

"What is the reason for us being here?" Elizabeth hadn't minded being outside. She had grown used to it.

"When you cried out during the branding, my lady, you caught the attention of the homeowner in the distance. When he saw the state that you were in, he insisted that I use what little resources he has to care for you."

"That's rather kind of him." The blonde said, affixed on the patterns of the wooden wall. "I will have to get his name so that I can properly thank him later."

"An excellent idea, my lady." Aurora agreed, gently wiping Elizabeth's contract seal with one of the few clean, dry rags on the property.

"I've wiped down and cleansed your body along with your wounds while you were unconscious, my lady. If I may, I'd like to wash your hair next."

"But why?" Elizabeth turned her head to look at Aurora now. "I haven't any clean garments to wear, only filthy ones."

"That isn't entirely true, my lady." Aurora set aside the dry rag and walked over to a bed on the other side of the room, where a couple of boxes of different shapes and sizes were laying. She took the lid off of the biggest box and reached in, pulling out a dress in purple and green.

The maid smiled. "I stopped into the nearest town and picked up a few things. I hope that you don't mind the colors, my lady."

Elizabeth was floored. "I-I don't mind the colors at all!" She didn't even mind the fact that Aurora had, obviously, chosen based on colors that were appealing to her. "Where did you get the money for those boxes of things?"

Aurora folded up the dress and set it aside on the bed. "There's no need to worry about that, my lady. Now, may I wash your hair?"

"Yes, that would be lovely." Elizabeth answered, laying her head back against whatever it was she was laying on. She presumed it to be another bed.

Aurora lifted the warm water basin she had been using and placed it behind behind Elizabeth's head.

"I'm afraid there's no liquid soap at this place of residence, my lady." The demoness informed the blonde, removing her green gloves so that the hair washing could commence.

"Elizabeth Midford." The blonde said suddenly as the greenette wettened a bar of soap in the water basin.

"Come again, my lady?" Aurora began to roll the bar of soap over in her hands to work up a lather.

"Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford." The blonde repeated more in-depth. "That's my name. I realized I never gave it to you."

"You have a lovely name, Lady Elizabeth." Aurora complimented, beginning to lather Elizabeth's dirty hair. She realized a moment too late that the hair was still bound in tangled pigtails.

"Oh, well. I'll just-" As the demoness went to undo the pigtails, the hair ties snapped from wear and old age.

"Oh dear. I won't be reusing those." The greenette watched as the remains of the hair ties fell into the water basin. She quickly fished them out and set them aside.

"Is everything alright, Aurora?" Elizabeth asked the demoness, unable to turn her head to see what was happening.

The demoness cleared her throat and proceeded with the hair washing. "Yes, my lady. Everything is fine." Aurora told her young mistress. " _Drat. Looks like I'll have to improvise when it comes time to put her hair back up."_ The demoness thought to herself.

The water in the basin turned murky as Aurora washed Elizabeth's tresses and scrubbed her scalp.

"Oh?" The demoness said suddenly after a minute or two of scrubbing Elizabeth's scalp.

"What is it, Aurora?" Elizabeth asked, angling her emerald eyes up in attempt to see her new maid,

Aurora sighed and dried her hands off on her purple apron, heading over to the boxes she had laying on the other bed.

"I'm no hairdresser," Aurora began as she fiddled around in the boxes, in search of something. "But it would appear to me that you have head lice, my lady."

"Head lice?!" Elizabeth cried out, horrified. "No, no, no, no, no! That can't be right at all!"

"Worry not, my lady. There is a solution to this. Oh, I'm so glad that I picked this up while I was out." Aurora pulled a vial from one of the smaller boxes.

"Ah, here we are." The maid came back over to her mistress, plucking the lid off of the vial with a popping sound. The maid began to pour into the palm of her hand what appeared to be a clear oil, and started to work it into Elizabeth's scalp.

"Ow, ow, ow!" The blonde winced. "Aurora, what is that? It stings!"

"Tea tree oil, my lady." The greenette answered. "I've heard that it works for treating head lice. How true that is, I do not know. But it is what we have to work with at this time."

"I suppose that's true." Elizabeth sighed, wishing that she didn't have head lice at all.

Aurora gave Elizabeth's scalp and tresses a final rinse in the warm water basin. The water was absolutely filthy now, and even a bit iridescent as the tea tree oil seeped into it.

The demoness now went back over to the boxes of things she had bought, opening one of the smaller boxes and pulling out a new hairbrush. She came back over to her mistress and set the brush aside as she began to dry Elizabeth's hair with a clean towel. Then, once the blonde hair was acceptably dry, she began to brush the tangles out.

Elizabeth tried to close her emerald eyes and relax, but found that to be a difficult thing to do. Aurora wasn't a very gentle hairbrusher. Perhaps it was because Aurora's own hair was straight and Elizabeth's was not.

"You-you're being a little rough there, Aurora." Elizabeth squeaked.

"My apologies, my lady." Aurora said as she struggled to free the brush from her lady's tresses. "It's just that these tangles-"

"Paula would usually comb my wet hair, then brush it when it was dry." Elizabeth explained to the demoness. "Paula.. She was my lady's maid before I left home sometime ago. But.."

"But what, my lady?" The demoness smirked slyly from behind Elizabeth, already suspecting what she was going to say.

"..But that's in the past. I suppose it doesn't matter what Paula would have done, because you're my lady's maid now, Aurora." Admitting this hurt Elizabeth a little. Paula had been her lady's maid for years now. What would she tell the brunette when she finally returned home? That she had been replaced by someone that Elizabeth had only just met?

Aurora half-lidded her purple eyes and smiled in satisfaction, almost as if she could tell what Elizabeth was thinking. Yes, Elizabeth would not longer require Paula as a lady's maid with Aurora around her.

After freeing the hairbrush from Elizabeth's blonde tresses, the demoness spoke up.

"My lady, it is time for the dressing."

Aurora had done an adequate job in picking out an outfit and accessories for Elizabeth. The dress, which was previously mentioned to be in purple and green, was of the "toilette de voyage" style, one meant for traveling. While the neckline of the dress showed off Elizabeth's collarbone and the choker matching the dress, it was not so low that one would have to worry about the contract seal being exposed.

The demoness had chosen shoes for Elizabeth with an adequate heel, as the maid had no idea of the blonde's preference for low-heeled shoes or why.

"In the future," Elizabeth began anxiously as Aurora placed the new shoes onto her feet. "I'd prefer low-heeled shoes."

"Oh?" Aurora gazed up momentarily at her mistress, then resumed her task. "I would have thought that a young lady of your age would look forward to adult shoes."

Elizabeth frowned and gazed down a bit as Aurora stood up behind Elizabeth, preparing to do the blonde's hair. "I do, but.. My fiancee.. He tries so hard to be seen as an adult, I don't want to tower over him in women's shoes."

Aurora listened as she inspected Elizabeth's hair at all angles, wondering how she would tie the blonde hair up without the assistance of hair ties. Wait a moment..

Aurora reached up to her own hair, unfastening the brass clasps that kept her loose pigtails in place. Vibrant, green tresses fell all around her. Bundling Elizabeth's hair up, she fastened the hair into loose pigtails using her own hair clasps.

"Um.. Aurora!" Elizabeth blinked as she gazed at her reflection in the dirty mirror on the wall. "..Now I look like you."

"Yes, it's cute, is it not?" The demoness beamed proudly at her work.

"Erm.." Elizabeth turned her head as she gazed at her hair in the mirror. Aurora's hairstyle didn't suit her at all! "It's quite cute on you, but I think I would prefer high pigtails!"

Aurora smiled, not making her inner dissent very noticeable. The truth was, the demoness had little experience or success in creating up-do hairstyles.

"Y-Yes, my lady." Aurora's smile did not falter, unlike her voice, as she approached the dirty mirror hanging on the wall. She lifted the mirror off of its hook and leaned it against the wall on the floor, reflective side concealed.

"Why did you do that?" Elizabeth asked as Aurora came back over to give the pigtails another shot.

"Oh, no reason." Aurora lied, the truth being that she didn't want Elizabeth to see just how bad she was at creating high pigtails.

After several attempts at doing Elizabeth's hair, Aurora finally gave up. She did not, however, admit this to Elizabeth. Instead, she insisted that Elizabeth looked wonderful, and cleaned up the guest room that she and the blonde had used.

Aurora introduced Elizabeth to the man who owned the house they had been in, and thanked him for loaning them his resources. He was instructed to keep an eye on the postage in the following weeks for a proper token of their appreciation.

Aurora loaded Elizabeth and the boxes of things she had purchased into a carriage from the closest town.

"Where to, my lady?" Aurora asked Elizabeth after helping her into the carriage.

Elizabeth did not have to think very hard at all about where she wanted to go. "The Phantomhive Manor." She told the maid. "I wish to see my fiancee."

"Yes, my lady." Aurora crossed her hand over her chest and bowed to her mistress before informing the man who would be drawing the carriage.

Once Aurora had gotten into the carriage and the door was closed, the carriage pulled away, heading for the outskirts of London where the Phantomhive Manor resided.

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _This chapter was a little bit bumpy for me, but I hope that you enjoyed it nonetheless. Our favorite butler-master duo will most certainly be appearing in the next chapter, which I hope to make longer than this one. Similarly, if you enjoyed this story, you may also enjoy "Latter-Day Lizzy", which is also by me._


	4. Chapter 3- Her Maid, Suspicious

_**Chapter 3**_

The raven haired butler rapped the back of his gloved hand against the door to his master's study before opening it up. "Young master, there appears to be a carriage in the drive." He informed him.

The bluenette didn't glance up from his work, continuing to lean over documents and reports from people who had claimed to have spotted his missing fiancee. "Any idea on who it is?"

"None, sir. The carriage doesn't appear as if it belongs to anyone we know." Sebastian dipped his head to Ciel.

The butler and his master both turned to the hallway as they heard rapid footsteps approaching.

"Me lord!" Mey-Rin panted as she entered the doorway. "It's Lady Elizabeth! She's returned!"

Ciel Phantomhive stood up from his desk at once, palms flat against its surface. "Are you certain?!"

"There's no mistaking it, me lord!" Mey-Rin answered. "She's got someone with her, as well!"

"Sebastian!" Ciel turned towards his butler.

"Yes, my lord." The butler crossed a hand over his chest and bowed.

"This is it." Elizabeth sighed once she and Aurora were before the doors to the Phantomhive Manor. Before Aurora could reach out to touch the doors, they were swung open from the inside to reveal Sebastian, Ciel, and the other Phantomhive servants.

"Welcome back, Lady Elizabeth!" The servants cheered from behind Sebastian and Ciel.

"Elizabeth.." Ciel stared at his fiancee with his blue eye. Had she grown taller, or was it just the shoes she was wearing? She certainly seemed to be a little bit thinner.

"Why?" He asked her.

Elizabeth could not meet Ciel's gaze, instead gazing down at both their shoes. "Does "why" matter after all this time?"

"Of course it does!" Ciel snearly snapped. "I mean, of course it does. Everyone was worried about you. Everyone had thought you had died, except-" Except for Ciel. He had used Sebastian to get information out of a certain redheaded reaper that Elizabeth's soul had not been collected. He thought that her soul was safe.

He was so terribly wrong.

"..Your pigtails are lopsided." The bluenette said suddenly. "Who did them? It looks positively-"

Elizabeth let out a small gasp of embarrassment. "Lopsided?! No, no, no! Aurora spent such a long time on them, so they must be perfect!"

Ciel sighed. "Come inside. We'll have Mey-Rin fix them up."

Elizabeth smiled a bit and entered the manor, quickly being ushered away by Mey-Rin, who reassured the girl that her hairstyle would be cute again in no time. Ciel followed after them, wanting to speak with Elizabeth about her experiences as soon as possible. Aurora moved to catch up with her mistress, only to be stopped by Sebastian.

"Miss Aurora, was it? There's no need for you to proceed any further. I will alert Lady Elizabeth's maid that her mistress has returned."

"You need not do that." Aurora began. "Lady Elizabeth has declared me her new lady's maid." Her brown lips curled up into a smirk. "There is no need to alert Miss Paula."

Sebastian narrowed his crimson eyes. "I shouldn't be surprised to see that you are playing the role of a maid. I am a butler, afterall. But the form you've chosen is quite unusual."

"I'm afraid I haven't any idea what you're talking about." Aurora lied teasingly.

"You may be able to fool the others, but not I. If your skills as a lady's maid weren't already lacking.." Sebastian began, referring to Aurora's dreary attempt to dress Elizabeth's hair. "I would have to rely solely on your unholy scent that only another demon can pick up on. There's no concealing it. You're after Lady Elizabeth's soul."

Aurora narrowed her reddish purple eyes at Sebastian. She could smell it, too. His demonic scent. During the carriage ride to the Phantomhive Manor, Elizabeth had told the maid all about her fiancee and his butler clad in black. Just based off of the things that her mistress had to say about the butler, Aurora suspected that he was otherworldly. But now, she had confirmation. They were one in the same.

"Sebastian." Ciel suddenly called out. "Quit dawdling and come over here at once."

"Yes, my young lord." Sebastian responded, taking one last look at Aurora before following after his master. Aurora waited a moment or two, putting some space between her and the butler before proceeding after Elizabeth.

"All done, me lady!" Mey-Rin announced to Elizabeth, showing the girl her adjusted pigtails with a hand mirror after setting aside Aurora's hair clasps. "Those silly brass clasps didn't go with your hair color at all! Lucky that I had some spare elastics on me, eh?"

"Mey-Rin, it looks wonderful!" Elizabeth clasped her hands together in delight as she gazed at her reflection. "Oh, how embarrassing that I had lopsided pigtails all this time!"

A small singe of irritability surged through Aurora when she overheard that. She knew that her handiwork wasn't great, but she had tried her best! She retrieved her hair clasps without a word and proceeded to fix her own hair into her loose, low hanging pigtails.

Aurora soon found herself in the parlor of the Phantomhive Manor along with Elizabeth, Ciel and Sebastian. She stood patiently by the blonde's side as Sebastian served up earl grey tea, and Ciel began to speak.

"Elizabeth.." He began gently. "Why did you disappear from my townhouse? Why did you hide for so long, making everyone worry?"

Elizabeth gazed down at her lap sadly, thinking about the Sphere Music Hall and the events that took place up until her disappearance out of the window at Ciel's townhouse. "..I can't tell you that."

Ciel leaned forward a bit in his chair. "Then at least tell me what's happened to you. You don't seem well at all. You're frightfully thin, and I can see scratches all over your exposed skin."

Tears began to well up in Elizabeth's emerald eyes. She clutched at the skirt of her dress, voice cracking. "I can't tell you that, either." She felt her throat beginning to go dry and sore at the thought of what had happened to her while she was on her own.

Ciel sighed a bit. "Please, drink some tea. I can't imagine that your fluids were well replenished, wherever it was that you were.." He suddenly gazed up at the raven haired butler. "Sebastian, see to it that a meal is prepared for Elizabeth. She's far too thin for us to stand by and do nothing."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian responded with a small bow before excusing himself from the room.

Elizabeth shakily raised her teacup and saucer, her mind still glued to the horrible things that she experienced while she was gone. Her heart began to race in her chest. Her blood pressure began to rise. The dishes in her hands clattered together incessantly.

"My lady." Aurora's voice reached down into the mental hell that Elizabeth had been trapped in, dragging her out and back into the parlor where she and Ciel were. "Please, allow me to hold it to your lips."

Aurora's gloved hands touched the bare hands of the blonde. Elizabeth's hands were clean now, but remained covered in scratches. The maid gently held the teacup to the lips of her mistress, urging her to drink.

Tears welled up in Elizabeth's emerald eyes once more, this time in embarrassment, as she drank reluctantly. She felt as though she was being treated like a small child, and in front of her fiancee! She felt so useless.

Aurora pulled the now empty cup away from Elizabeth's chapped lips, placing it on its saucer and setting both upon the coffee table between her and Ciel Phantomhive. Elizabeth gazed down at her lap once more, unable to meet Ciel's gaze.

Seeing that his fiancee was distressed, Ciel quickly tried to find a topic of discussion that hopefully wouldn't upset Elizabeth, but would provide him with some answers.

"I'm surprised that you've returned with a new maid by your side." Ciel began. It was eerily similar to how he himself had returned from his own disappearance with Sebastian. "Where did you meet her, and why has she agreed to serve you when you undoubtedly had no way to pay her, given how you're so thin from having barely eaten?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes momentarily. She knew that no one, not even Ciel, could find out that Aurora was a demon and that the two were contracted together. Maybe she would have felt differently if she knew about Ciel and Sebastian's secret, but she didn't.

"You're asking.. A lot of questions for someone who didn't want to talk after their own return.." Elizabeth let out.

Ciel's visible eye widened a bit. She had a point, but.. He grimaced. Was this how Elizabeth felt when he suddenly returned with Sebastian a few years ago? Was Elizabeth feeling the way that Ciel did upon his return? He quickly changed the subject. "Sebastian has been gone for far too long."

"Right here, my lord." Sebastian's voice came as he entered the parlor once more. "Do excuse my extended absence. I saw to it that Lady Elizabeth's relatives were contacted and informed of her return. And, of course, a meal preparation is underway."

Elizabeth's chest tightened when she heard that her family had been contacted. Although she had missed her family dearly, a part of her dreaded seeing them again. Her father would cry tears of joy, her mother would be furious, and her brother would likely shed frustrated tears as he hugged her. Then there was Paula, who she'd have to tell that she'd been replaced by Aurora.

Would her family even approve of Aurora? There was no doubt in her mind that her mother would strongly disapprove of Aurora's hairstyle. But Elizabeth liked how the style looked on her maid, and she had a feeling that Aurora had a great preference for the hairstyle, too. Elizabeth suddenly realized that she had a bit of an upper hand. A family who had just had their lost daughter and sister returned to them would surely do anything to keep her happy, wouldn't they? She felt bad about it, but Elizabeth would have to use that to her advantage in regards to Aurora.

The blonde broke the silence. "I bet my family's rushing over here as we speak, aren't they?" She didn't gaze up from her lap. She hadn't in quite awhile now.

"You are correct, my lady." Sebastian responded. "They could barely contain their emotions as I spoke to them over the telephone. They are most excited to be seeing you once more."

"I'm certain they are." Elizabeth responded. No doubt they'd interrogate her even more than Ciel already had. She didn't look forward to that.

Sebastian suddenly gazed at his pocket watch. "The meal should be ready anytime now. Shall we migrate to the dining hall?"

"Yes, we shall." Ciel responded, rising from his chair. "I will wait to eat until Aunt Francis and the others arrive, but Elizabeth should proceed to dine before us, seeing as she needs it." He gazed at his fiancee. "Is that quite alright?"

"Yes, it is." Elizabeth responded, slowly rising from where she was seated. It concerned Ciel that she was still refusing to make eye contact with him, but he didn't say anything as he followed Sebastian to the dining hall.

Ciel fell back, allowing Elizabeth and her maid to walk ahead. Sebastian, noticing this, approached his master. "My lord?"

Ciel lowered his voice, speaking quickly before Elizabeth or her maid noticed that they weren't following them. "Find out what you can about that green haired woman and inform me of what you've discovered later on. I don't trust her." Ciel then proceeded towards the dining hall.

Sebastian smirked, putting his hand to his chest and bowing as Ciel walked away from him. "Yes, my young lord."

 _ **((This chapter was a bit short but I wanted to get an update out there so that people know the story isn't dead. I am very excited to continue working on this project and am considering including OCs later on. Contact me if you're interested in having your character used in the story at some point. (: ))**_


	5. Chapter 4- Her Maid, Nefarious

_**Chapter 4**_

"Tonight's supper will consist of mussels and minced garlic in a light wine sauce, accompanied by chicken breast sprinkled with herbs from our very own garden." Sebastian bowed to Elizabeth as the other Phantomhive servants set the meal before her and Ciel. "I do hope you find it to be to your liking."

The blonde could feel herself starting to salivate as she stared at the food before her. She couldn't remember when the last time was she had more than a handful of berries or a stolen loaf of bread to eat. "It looks wonderful!" She let out, eagerly yet politely digging into the mussels while Mey-Rin poured her a glass of ice water to accompany her evening tea.

Ciel had hardly sat down when he heard familiar voices approaching. He turned his bluenette head to see his Aunt Francis and company entering his dining hall, lead by Tanaka.

"Elizabeth.." The girl's mother let out, her eyes widening somewhat before she lifted the skirt of her dress in both hands, rushing over to her daughter as lady-like as possible.

Francis hugged her daughter in a tight embrace before she had been able to get a good look at the girl. She didn't need to, she could feel it. The raised and bumpy flesh of healing scratches on the girl's cheek, her frail frame. Francis pulled away as her husband, son, and Paula joined her beside Elizabeth.

"You're not well.." Francis let out as she gazed into her daughter's dull eyes. "Why hasn't anyone called for a doctor?!" She suddenly turned angry, moving away from her daughter and directing her attention towards Ciel and his butler. "What is the meaning of this?"

"With all due respect, Aunt Francis-" Ciel began. "What do you expect a doctor to do other than encourage her to eat more?"

"To give her a proper examination and clean her wounds!" Francis retorted.

"If I may, Madam." Aurora suddenly spoke up from where she was standing next to Elizabeth, who was currently being smothered by Paula, her father and brother. "I looked over Lady Elizabeth and washed her wounds myself. I'm in agreement with the Earl of Phantomhive that there isn't much more than can be done."

"And just who are you?" Francis scowled as she turned towards the greenette.

Aurora took the skirt of her emerald dress in her hands, curtsying. "I go by the name of Aurora Newcomb, and I am the current lady's maid of Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia-"

"I won't allow that." Francis cut her off. "My daughter already has a lady's maid, and _she_ doesn't have unkempt hair like you do."

Ciel smiled inwardly a bit with satisfaction. With his Aunt Francis on the case, Aurora wouldn't be around for much longer. He had nothing to worry about.

Or so he thought.

"I'm sorry, but that isn't true." Elizabeth suddenly rose from her seat at the other end of the long dining table. Ciel's visible eye widened a bit.

"Elizabeth?" Francis let out in surprise, but also in warning to her daughter as the one in charge.

"Aurora _is_ my lady's maid." The blonde informed everyone. "She's the reason why I've returned, and why I look the way that I do now. That is, better than I did just a day ago. She's staying."

Francis didn't look pleased to have her daughter essentially talking back to her, but she feared that any disciplinary action would push her daughter away and possibly cause her to run off once more. Francis had nothing to say.

Elizabeth's emerald eyes wandered over to Paula, who had a hurt look on her face. When she saw Elizabeth staring at her, she tried to play it off. "I suppose you won't be needing me anymore." Paula chuckled sadly.

"Paula.." Elizabeth let out. Before she could attempt to smooth things over, Aurora suddenly spoke up once more.

"Oh, don't be so dreary. I'm certain there's room for another scullery maid in the Midford household." Her words were impudent, her smile insincere. Both Paula and Elizabeth's eyes widened.

In the meantime, while everyone was distracted, Ciel turned to Sebastian and whispered "I don't suppose you've found out anything about Aurora yet?"

"Actually, my lord, I believe I've found out all that we need to know a while ago." The butler bowed a bit.

"Alright, let's hear it." Ciel responded before bringing his cup of earl grey tea to his lips.

"Very well then. Judging by the scent that she gives off as well as the circumstances under which she's arrived, I believe Aurora Newcomb to be a demoness."

Ciel's visible eye widened. He swallowed far too much tea at once out of surprise, irritating his throat and causing him to break out in a coughing fit.

Everyone's attention was now directed at Ciel as he got his coughing under control. He tried to remain cool despite the information he had just learned.

"Do pardon me. It appears I've swallowed my tea wrong. Aunt Francis.. Might you join us for supper?" Ciel offered to his aunt and her family.

"We've come all this way. We might as well." Francis responded, sitting down as Sebastian pulled out a chair for her. "Paula." The woman said after a moment. "Come to my side. I wish to speak to you."

Nervousness etched across the brunette's face as she stepped away from Elizabeth and towards Francis. "Yes, my lady?"

"You need not worry about becoming a scullery maid or unemployed." Francis began as a plate was set before her. "As you know, my own lady's maid, Alma, is getting older. She's getting to the age where retirement is being considered, and she will need a replacement. I expect you to take over for her when the time comes."

Paula's eyes lit up when she heard this. She was delighted to hear that she wouldn't become a scullery maid, or worse: Unemployed.

"I will do my very best to live up to your high expectations, my lady!" Paula promised, bowing her head.

Elizabeth smiled a bit inwardly, thinking that it was a rather kind offer that her mother made. She felt much better now, knowing that Paula would still be serving her family in a way that made everyone happy. The blonde gazed up at Aurora momentarily, who was scowling in Paula's direction somewhat. It made Elizabeth feel uneasy. Aurora and Paula would not have to compete over the role of being Elizabeth's personal maid, so what was the problem? She thought back to how Aurora suggested that Paula become a scullery maid in the first place, and how she had said it. It didn't sit right with Elizabeth at all.

The meal was eaten in polite silence until Francis finished her portion and offered up her criticism. "The mussels were far too small, and the garlic overpowered the taste of the wine in the sauce. As for the chicken breast? Don't even get me started."

"I apologize that the meal was not to your liking, Aunt Francis." Ciel said as sincerely as he could. He had found the meal to be beyond satisfactory, although he wasn't going to admit that, especially in front of Sebastian.

"It is getting late." Francis started, seeing that her husband and son were finishing up their meals now. Elizabeth had only managed to eat half of what was on her plate due to her appetite having changed so drastically from only eating small portions while she was missing. It made Francis wish that Madam Red was still alive, as she would have been the marchioness' first choice in a doctor to examine Elizabeth. Oh well. There was no use dwelling on it. "I will be taking my daughter home now." She said, before turning to the brunette next to her. "Paula, see to it that a reputable doctor is called to come examine Elizabeth back at the manor."

"Yes, my lady." Paula dipped her head.

"I thank you for your company tonight, Aunt Francis." Ciel began as he rose from his seat at the table. "I bid you and everyone else a pleasant evening. If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to remain updated on how Elizabeth is doing over the next couple of weeks."

Francis and company turned to leave as Aurora helped the frail Elizabeth up from her seat. Glancing back at Ciel, Francis said, "The next time that I see you, I expect you and that butler of yours to be sporting more appropriate hairstyles."

"Yes, Aunt Francis." Ciel responded, a subtle drop of sweat dripping down the side of his bluenette head as he reached up to feel his bangs.

As Elizabeth stood up to leave, she made eye contact with Ciel that, to him, felt like it was the first time he had truly seen her in awhile. His chest tightened a bit, and Elizabeth turned to leave with her family and their servants.

When the Midfords arrived back to their manor, Francis ordered Aurora to take Elizabeth to her room and prepare her for an examination by the doctor that was to come. Irritability swirled inside of the demoness. She was contracted to Elizabeth, not her mother. The lady's maid wanted to tell the marchioness that she solely took orders from Elizabeth, but figured that saying so wouldn't be a wise thing to do, at least at this time.

Aurora had only just got Elizabeth into her bed when the doctor arrived. The blonde looked at Aurora with a panicked look in her eyes, worried about the doctor discovering her contract seal among other doctor, a young man fresh out of medical school, entered the room with his medical bag in hand.

"You must be Elizabeth." The doctor smiled, approaching her bedside. Aurora promptly closed and locked the door to Elizabeth's chambers with the matching skeleton key, causing the doctor to look back in surprise.

"Listen well." Aurora began, approaching the doctor and Elizabeth from the other side of the room. You will not tell _anyone_ of anything unusual you see on my mistress' body, is that understood?" An unsettling aura began to radiate off of her as she got closer.

"It would be wrong to hide anything from the marquis and marchioness in regards to their dear daughter." The doctor began, growing more and more uneasy of Aurora. "And besides, aren't you a servant? Who are you to-"

Aurora let out an exasperated sigh, her aura dissipating at once. " _I suppose there's no reason to threaten him with a display of power."_ Aurora thought to herself. " _If he's anything like most human men I've encountered, then there's other ways to get him to do as I desire."_

Aurora's expression softened, her eyes half-lidded as she approached the man. "Doctor, if I'm not mistaken, then you've been far too busy ever since your graduation from medical school to properly court a lady." She spider-walked her fingers up his chest. "Is that true?"

The doctor blushed darkly, gazing down at the servant with wide eyes. "W-what are you trying to do?" He asked nervously, tugging at his collar uncomfortably.

Aurora stepped back a bit, a sultry look in her eyes as the rounded left sleeve of her dress slid down a bit to reveal her delicate caramel shoulder and a little bit of cleavage. "Doctor, I do think that if you were to get to know me, you'd discover that I'm far more than a servant. I'm a lover, as well."

Elizabeth's emerald eyes widened a bit from where she was resting on her luxurious bed. She could've sworn that she heard another, deeper voice say "demon" at the same time that Aurora had said "lover". The next thing she knew, Aurora was coming over to gently undress her so that the doctor could examine her.

The man's eyes widened when he saw the contract seal on Elizabeth's sternum and the reddish skin around the edges, but he didn't say anything. As the doctor gave the girl a head to toe examination, it became apparent that he was taking pity on her. "Oh my, you poor girl." He said to her at one point, and that was when Elizabeth realized that he had uncovered her secret. Not her secret with Aurora, but rather, a different secret.

"I don't think that there's much more that I can do." The doctor told Aurora as he was packing up his bag. "Just keep her wounds clean and make sure that she gets enough fluids and nutrition." He said, rising to his feet. "And don't, erm, worry about getting me to keep quiet.. I won't say a word to the marchioness about what I saw." He added, referring to how Aurora had come onto him earlier.

"Very well then." Aurora nodded to the doctor before unlocking the door to Elizabeth's chambers so that he could make his departure. "Your expertise is greatly appreciated."

The doctor bid them farewell, taking his leave out of the room before Aurora closed and locked the door once more. She didn't want anyone rushing in to check on Elizabeth while the girl was still undressed and risk them uncovering the secrets that her body told.

Elizabeth's pink armoire creaked as Aurora opened it, selecting a frilly, white nightgown from inside. She closed its doors and came over to Elizabeth, carefully helping the girl to get dressed in her nightwear. Aurora frowned subtly once she had finished dressing Elizabeth. The nightgown was meant to be light and flowy, but it was looser on Elizabeth's frame than Aurora suspected it used to be.

" _I will definitely have to ensure that she regains her weight. I can't have her falling victim to malnourishment before I get the chance to consume her soul."_ The demoness thought to herself.

Aurora's train of thought was broken when Elizabeth suddenly spoke up. "He knows." She began, and the greenette turned to look at her. "Someone else knows my secret. He could tell just by examining my body." Elizabeth's voice cracked, and her emerald eyes began to well up with tears.

Elizabeth wasn't looking at Aurora. She was gazing up at the ceiling as tears streamed down her cheeks. Aurora's brown lips curled into a nefarious smile.

"And how does that make you feel, my lady?" Aurora asked, feigning sensitivity in her voice.

"I feel absolutely repulsive." Elizabeth whispered, her voice quivering. "If Ciel knew about this, he'd.. He'd never take me as his wife!"

Aurora's abhorrent smile grew in magnitude. If she could get Elizabeth to continue to feel this was as their contract was being fulfilled, well..

Elizabeth's soul might very well be the finest that Aurora will have ever tasted.

Aurora wiped her face clean of any emotion other than sympathy as she came over to her mistress, pretending to understand what she was going through.

"My lady, it's late. Do try to think of happier things." ..Was what Aurora said as she tucked the girl in, but what she really wanted was for those dreadful thoughts to become poison in Elizabeth's mind, seasoning her soul.

"I will try." Elizabeth squeaked, and Aurora blew out the candles illuminating the room, leaving them in the dark.

"Goodnight, my lady." Aurora let out as she approached the door in the darkness, her eyes shifting to a reddish pink color with slitted pupils. " _..And sweet dreams."_


	6. Chapter 5- Her Maid, Improvising

_**Chapter 5**_

Before he had gone to sleep the night before, Ciel had ordered Sebastian to cancel all of his scheduled engagements for the next day so that he could take Elizabeth out on a "date". It would be his way of showing her that he was glad she had returned while also being able to keep an eye on her around Aurora.

"Do not forget. Aurora Newcomb cannot be trusted." Ciel reminded Sebastian while the butler tied his master's eyepatch from behind. "We cannot allow her to devour Elizabeth's soul."

"If their partnership is anything like ours was when it first began.." Sebastian started. "..Then it will be rather rocky."

"Yes, I can't imagine that Elizabeth would have thought to make the same three requests that I made to you when we initiated our contract." Ciel smirked, then added. "I'd like to see Aurora become half the servant that you are." The earl's cheeks suddenly went red with embarrassment when he realized what he had said.

Sebastian smiled a bit. "Was that a compliment, my lord?"

"Don't look too far into it." Ciel scoffed, turning his head away. "See to it that Elizabeth knows what we'll be doing today."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bowed.

Elizabeth hadn't slept as well as she would have liked to for finally being safe in her own bed again. At the same time, it was the best sleep that she had gotten in quite awhile. She realized that once Aurora came to wake her up the next morning. Before her disappearance, she had been very much a morning person. But now, she didn't want to leave the comfort of her bed for any reason at all.

As Aurora urged her to sit up in bed, Elizabeth felt pain shoot through her body, reminding her of what happened. She lowered her blonde head in shame, feeling repulsive just as she had the night before.

Seeing Elizabeth like this pleased Aurora, as she knew that it meant that the girl's soul was becoming more and more delectable. But, unfortunately, she couldn't have Elizabeth feeling this way _all_ of the time. If her family were to see Aurora failing to keep her lady happy, well.. That wouldn't be good at all. She had a role to play, after all, and she knew that she would have to work to get better at playing that role. Especially when it came to hair.

Oh, hair? Aurora had forgotten to take Elizabeth's blonde curls out of their pigtails the night before. The girl's hair was messy now as Aurora took the hair ties out and freed the hair at last. The demoness examined the curly hair at as many angles as she could manage while Elizabeth was still sitting up in bed, mind blank. Aurora reached for the hairbrush she had bought to use on Elizabeth recently, roughly running it through the blonde tresses.

"Ow, ow, ow!" The pain that her scalp suffered snapped Elizabeth out of the daze that she had been in, "Aurora, what are you doing?!" She cried out.

Aurora continued to attempt to tame Elizabeth's curls with the brush while the girl struggled against her. "My lady- You informed me just the other day that _Miss Paula_ would comb your wet hair and brush it once dry." Aurora's brushing became more violent and even angry as she thought of the brunette maid, and Elizabeth howled in pain.

"No, no, no! I said that Paula would comb my hair wet and _not_ brush my hair dry!" Elizabeth insisted. "I- Oh, _AURORA!_ " Elizabeth suddenly snapped angrily from the pain, surprising even herself as she angrily ordered "Stop that at once!"

Aurora's solferino eyes widened when Elizabeth spoke to her like that, but she ceased the improper brushing nonetheless. She didn't think that the girl had it in her to talk to a servant so unkindly.

Elizabeth gazed up at Aurora, her emerald eyes wide in horror of herself. "I'm sorry.." She let out, gazing down at her lap beneath the blankets. She had never spoken to Paula or any servant that way before, had she? Elizabeth couldn't imagine herself doing it if it weren't for the fact that her awful experiences had changed her fundamentally.

" _Yes."_ Elizabeth tried to convince herself.. " _That was why I snapped at Aurora.. I'm not the same person that I used to be. That must be it."_

Aurora didn't know how to respond just yet. Now probably wasn't the time to tell Elizabeth about the state that her hair was in. The hair that hadn't been ripped out by Aurora's violent brushing (though some had fallen out on its own due to stress and poor health), was now a frizzy mess. It looked worse than when Aurora had started brushing it. The maid could have sworn that Elizabeth had told her that Paula would brush the hair dry. There was no way that she could have been mistaken. Her mistress must have misspoke.

Elizabeth reached up to massage her aching scalp. She didn't need to see it to know that her hair was in an even worse state than it had been during her extended absence, all thanks to Aurora. At least the maid had washed the tresses and deloused her the other day.

"Good thing I don't have anything planned for today." Elizabeth sighed.

Panic suddenly surged through Aurora, though she kept her composure well. She had failed to inform Elizabeth that her fiancee would be taking her out on a date in the afternoon.

Aurora cleared her throat, as if trying to shake off her inner fluster. "Lady Elizabeth, I regret to inform you that you do indeed have an item on your agenda for today. Lord Phantomhive will be taking you out on a tryst this afternoon."

Elizabeth blinked at first, staring at her maid until she registered what had been said. Her face then contorted to express horror and confusion, and she let out a cry that echoed through out at least half of the Midford Manor.

"I-I can't go out if I look the way I think I do!" The girl wailed. "Aurora, why didn't you say so sooner? We'll never be able to fix this in time! And if Mother or Ciel saw me like this, ohh.." Elizabeth felt faint just at the thought.

"Worry not, my lady." Aurora said suddenly, determination shining in her solferino eyes. "There _is_ a way to fix this. I _will_ make you presentable for Lord Phantomhive and all who see you!" That was the promise that Aurora made to Elizabeth just then. Was it because Aurora genuinely wanted to help her mistress, or was it so that no one would find out what she did to the girl's hair and question her abilities as a lady's maid? That was unclear.

Aurora dramatically swung open the doors of Elizabeth's armoire, searching until she found what she was looking for: A bonnet.

The maid selected the pink bonnet and its corresponding dress from the armoire, setting them both aside. The dress was one intended for winter, but the spring was still young, not yet too hot and Aurora figured that the winter dress would be beneficial for two reasons: The extra coverage would conceal Elizabeth's unsightly wounds and scratches while also assisting the frail girl in maintaining her body heat.

Aurora got Elizabeth dressed in the outfit, leaving the bonnet aside for now. She slipped a clean, crisp pair of white stockings up over Elizabeth's scratched and bruised legs. These particular stockings were made out of a light material and were intended for wear during the spring season.

Next, Aurora inspected Elizabeth's shoe collection. She spotted the winter boots that went with the outfit she had dressed the girl in, but shook her head as she decided that they simply wouldn't do. Nearly all of the shoes Elizabeth had, save for a few pairs, were low-heeled. Aurora found this unusual until she remembered what Elizabeth had said to her the last time the maid put her shoes on.

" _Lady Elizabeth said that she prefers low-heeled shoes because of her fiancee. She'll be seeing him today, so picking something with such a heel is essential. However.."_ Aurora's solferino eyes scanned the shoe collection. " _There aren't nearly enough low-heeled shoes that invoke spring that also go with the outfit that I have dressed the lady in. The most impressive spring shoes are the lavender ones, which go with the color and the style of the dress. However.. There is no other lavender on Lady Elizabeth's outfit, and without that additional lavender, the shoes will look rather out of place.. I must improvise."_

"Huh? You've chosen these shoes?" Elizabeth blinked in surprise as Aurora came over with them and began to secure them to the girl's feet.

"Worry not, my lady." Aurora reassured her, reaching for the hairbrush once more. "I apologize, but I must brush the rest of your hair so that it all looks the same. Only then can I style it properly. I will do my best to be gentle this time."

Aurora brushed out Elizabeth's hair until it was frizzy all around, and then proceeded to get to work styling the girl's hair in a way that would conceal the frizz while still looking cute. The maid arranged the tresses into two, big beautiful blonde braids.

"Now, then. For the finishing touches." Aurora retrieved a face cream and powder from Elizabeth's vanity station, applying them both to conceal the scratches on the girl's cheeks as well as the bags under her eyes from many sleepless nights. Just a tiny bit of cream was applied to Elizabeth's chapped lips in hopes that it would hydrate them and help them to heal.

Aurora placed the pink bonnet upon the girl's head, tying it gently under her chin before her eye caught something on the other side of the room.

Sitting on the lap of a teddy bear was a roll of lavender ribbon, just the thing that Aurora needed in order for the shoes to go with the girl's outfit.

Elizabeth was only a little bit surprised when a strand of ribbon was wrapped around her waist, then secured with a bow on the side. Aurora certainly had the right idea, adding more lavender to the look so that the shoes wouldn't seem so out of place.

Aurora tied a little bow out of the ribbon on either end of Elizabeth's braids to add a bit of cute flair to the look before stepping back to admire her work. "I do believe that the day has been saved." The maid told her with satisfaction. "Come now, my lady. Your breakfast will go cold soon if we don't hurry."

Elizabeth saw her reflection in her vanity mirror as Aurora ushered her out of the room. She smiled a bit. The braids weren't a style that she would normally choose, but they made her hair look presentable while being cute at the same time. Hopefully Ciel wouldn't find this new look to be too strange.

It wasn't too late in the afternoon when Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis arrived at the Midford estate to pick up Elizabeth and, inevitably, Aurora to accompany her.

Ciel's visible eye widened when he saw Elizabeth and her new hairstyle. "You look.. Different." Was all he managed to say.

"I-Is it a good different?" Elizabeth asked anxiously.

Ciel blushed, quickly becoming flustered. "Yes.. Yes, of course it is."

Sebastian chuckled a bit. Watching his master attempting to interact with a lady was always amusing to him.

"Shut it." Ciel said quickly to Sebastian, turning to lead Elizabeth back to his carriage.

Sebastian helped both Ciel and Elizabeth into the carriage gracefully. However, when it came time to help Aurora in, the butler turned to get into the carriage himself.

"Oh, Sebastian!" Elizabeth let out from where she was seated across from Ciel. "..Aurora will be coming with us!"

"Oh? My mistake. I forgot that she was here entirely." The butler lied to the blonde as he turned towards the fuming maid.

Aurora, sitting across from Sebastian in the carriage, gazed at the butler with distaste for the majority of the ride. Elizabeth noticed this. Was it because he had "forgotten" about her earlier, or was there another reason why Aurora was looking at Sebastian like that? Then Elizabeth caught Ciel's gaze. For how long had he been looking at her? Was he still worried about her? She averted her eyes and, playing with her right braid, made a decision. For his sake, and everyone else's, she would pretend as if she were fine. She would act like her old self.

Maybe then, Ciel wouldn't press to uncover her secrets anymore. He already knew that underneath her gentle, cute-loving exterior, that she was a fierce swordswoman that would do anything to protect him. He hadn't gone out of his way to find that out, though.

But he couldn't find out about her contract with Aurora, or what had happened to her that caused herself to change so drastically. However, Elizabeth would rather have Ciel discover Aurora's true identity than ever allow him to find out what happened to her.

Her physical wounds would heal by the time that the two were to be wed, wouldn't they? And, although Ciel might see her contract seal when they lie together as husband and wife for the first time, he would never find out what happened, right?

Elizabeth's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and her emerald eyes widened. Ciel didn't sleep with his eyepatch on, did he? Did that mean that once the two were married, that she would finally see his other eye whenever they shared the same bed?

Elizabeth was jostled out of these thoughts when the carriage suddenly came to a halt.

"It appears as though we've arrived." Sebastian informed everyone before opening the door of the carriage to reveal a beautiful little park that was vacant as far as other people went.

Elizabeth's emerald eyes widened with wonder as she took in the park. The bench underneath the black alder tree, the rabbits and squirrels frolicking across the grass, and the tiny pond in the center all gave the park character.

"What is this place?" Elizabeth let out, tempted to rub at her eyes with the back of her hands until she remembered that she was wearing cream and powder upon her face.

"I've only discovered it recently myself." Ciel responded, almost smiling contently. "I find it to be rather serene, don't you?"

Elizabeth stared at Ciel for a moment before her eyes lit up with happiness. "Yes, yes I do!"

Sebastian helped Ciel out of the carriage first, followed by Elizabeth. When it came time to help Aurora out, he initially took her hand. He then let go of it and began to walk away, causing her to teeter over and fall flat on the ground.

"Oh dear. Are you quite alright?" Sebastian asked, feigning concern as he glanced over his broad shoulder at her.

Aurora glared up at him angrily from the ground. "Why, you-" The word she wanted to use was "bastard", but if Ciel or Elizabeth were to overhear her say that, well.. Aurora helped herself up and dusted herself off.

His walking stick in one hand, Ciel offered the other out to Elizabeth. She smiled softly and took his hand before being led over to the bench underneath the black alder tree.

A pair of squirrels scurried up the trunk of the tree as the two got closer. Ciel gestured for Elizabeth to sit down with a nod of his head, and the young lady did so. He subsequently seated himself beside her.

As their servants approached to attend to them, Elizabeth realized that she couldn't remember the last time that she was truly alone with Ciel. That was, without Sebastian hovering directly over them.

Elizabeth knew by now that there was no _true_ privacy with Sebastian. He was always there, even if you couldn't see him, in case his master needed him. Elizabeth started to wonder. How would Ciel act around her without Sebastian hovering right over them? They were, after all, supposed to be on a date. But how could they act like they were with two chaperones watching their every movement, hearing every word that escaped their lips? Without Sebastian directly present, would Ciel be more confident in his courting abilities? Suddenly, Elizabeth got an idea.

She would have to express the idea in such a way that was in character with her old, cutesy persona. If she were to express it any other way, it would raise suspicion.

Elizabeth gathered up bountiful energy and put on her best exuberant face before turning to her betrothed. "Oh, Ciel!" She let out, clasping her hands together. "I've just come up with a most wonderful idea!"

"Oh, and what is that?" Ciel responded. Was it his imagination, or did Elizabeth seem to be in a better mood than yesterday?

Elizabeth grinned and scooted closer to Ciel on the bench. "You and I are out on a tryst, are we not? Wouldn't it be simply _adorable_ if Aurora and Sebastian were to go on a tryst, as well?"

All the background noise seemed to stop in that moment. They birds weren't chirping anymore, and the frogs in the pond stopped croaking. A small breeze passed by but no one moved a muscle for a spell.

" _No. Absolutely not."_ Was what Ciel wanted to say. How utterly ridiculous that idea was! But.. It sounded like something that Elizabeth would say. Ciel thought back to the day before when his fiancee would barely look at him. Was she feeling better already?

" _No."_ He realized. She wasn't feeling better. She was putting on an act. If what Elizabeth had went through was so insignificant that she would be over it in a day, then she wouldn't have thrown her soul away to a demoness. Just what happened to Elizabeth?

"My lady." Sebastian's voice derailed Ciel's train of thought. "While it is so very kind of you to think of us, a butler's place is beside his master, as I'm sure you know. If I were to go out and court a lady for my own benefit, well.. Then what kind of a butler would I be?"

Aurora could tell that Sebastian detested the idea of courting her as much as she did the idea of being courted by him. She didn't care much about the maid aesthetic except for keeping up appearances, but she would have to pretend as though she did in order to get out of this one. How could her mistress even suggest that she and Sebastian go out on a date together? Aurora didn't like being viewed as a toy, even though that's essentially what she was, and she knew that. Even if she had not taken on the role of a household servant, Aurora would be Elizabeth's toy for as long as their contract was in effect.

"..And a lady's maid should always be by her mistress' side." Aurora added, turning her nose up at the butler.

Ciel listened to how both servants responded. Neither of them liked Elizabeth's idea. Initially, Ciel didn't care for it, either. But then he realized that this would be a perfect opportunity to torment both demons.

"I think it's a splendid idea." The earl responded slyly.

Elizabeth squealed in delight. "Oh, this is going to be so adorable!"

"My lord.." Sebastian eyed his master with subtle distaste. "..Is that an order?"

"It is." Ciel smirked, causing panic to arise inside of Aurora.

"My lady, surely you jest?" The demoness had a strong feeling that her mistress wasn't jesting at all. "Are you ordering me, as well?"

"Yes, yes I am!" Elizabeth grinned up at her maid, ignoring the subtle, dangerous look that Aurora was giving her. "I want you to have a wonderful time with dear Sebastian!"

Ciel suddenly flicked his wrist a few times, shooing the servants away. "Go on. Get out of our sight for the time being." He knew that although Sebastian would stay out of sight as ordered, that he would remain nearby just in case Ciel were to need him.

Sebastian put his hand to his chest, bowed, and responded "Yes, my young lord."


	7. Chapter 6- Her Maid, Vulnerable

_**Chapter 6**_

 _ **Content Warning: Subtle mention of racism and European beauty standards**_

Ciel and Elizabeth sat in silence as they watched their servants head for the forest on the far side of the park, getting out of their sight as Ciel had instructed.

"What are they going to do out in the forest?" Elizabeth blinked. She supposed it didn't matter. She and Ciel were alone now. She turned to her fiancee, who suddenly surprised her when he took her hand in his and gazed at her intently with his one, visible eye.

"Lizzy.." He breathed, causing her heart to skip a beat in her chest. Her eyes softened.

"You're calling me by that name?" She smiled. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she didn't feel like Lizzy anymore. After what had happened to her, the remains of her child-like innocence had vanished. "Y-yes, what is it?" She stuttered.

"Is there anything you wish to tell me?" Ciel asked gently. "Anything at all?"

Elizabeth averted her eyes. Was he referring to Aurora's true identity, or the events that had taken place while she was gone? Or, was it possible, that he meant something else entirely?

"Whatever do you mean?" She responded, pretending not to have the slightest idea what he was talking about.

"You don't have to act so brave." He squeezed her hand. "I just wanted to let you know."

"I.. I'm not sure what you mean." Elizabeth lied, feeling several emotions swirling around inside of her at once. Had he seen through her ruse already?

Ciel closed his eye and shook his head gently. "Don't play foolish games. I know what you're up to. You're putting on a front for me, but deep down.. You're hurting inside. You're hurting terribly. I could see it in your eyes when you were at my manor last." He opened his eye to gaze at her. "I'm concerned, Lizzy."

Elizabeth began to tremble all over. Her throat felt constrained. She forced a smile and wide eyes, but she simply looked ridiculous. It looked as though she were about to lose it at any moment, and that wasn't untrue in the slightest. Elizabeth felt the floodgates to her heart weakening, about to burst and let everything go at any moment now.

"It's okay, Lizzy. Just let it out." Ciel reached for his handkerchief with his free hand as his fiancee's eyes brimmed with tears.

Elizabeth clenched her teeth and gazed at the grassy ground, sniffling as she tried desperately to hold it in. It was then that her floodgates could take to more, bursting. She buried her face in her hands and began to sob.

Aurora turned back towards the direction that she and Sebastian had come from, her sensitive demon ears picking up on the sound of Elizabeth's sobbing.

"My lady.. She's weeping." Aurora let out, turning to go back when Sebastian suddenly grabbed her hand.

"We've been ordered to stay out of sight for the time being and go on a tryst together." Sebastian reminded her. "Although you know that my master and Lady Elizabeth can never truly escape us, we should respect their privacy.. At least for now. Don't forget what you are to Lady Elizabeth."

Aurora was certain that the other demon meant that she was Elizabeth's toy, but she already knew that. She didn't want to be reminded of it. She roughly ripped her gloved hand out of his, insulted that he would touch her like that. "What I am to my mistress is her lady's maid, and it is my duty to comfort her in times of distress." Aurora hoped that her false dedication to her role seemed convincing.

"Not right now it isn't." Sebastian responded, causing the demoness to quirk a brow in confusion. "Right now it is my master's duty as her fiancee to comfort Lady Elizabeth. It is a skill that he will need to learn if the two are to have a successful marriage."

It was then that both demons smirked. Would either aristocrat even live long enough to see marriage? Or would their souls be consumed long before then?

"Speaking of romantic affairs," Sebastian began suddenly. "Let's proceed with our tryst, shall we?" He extended a gloved hand out to her.

Aurora begrudgingly placed her delicate, feminine hand in Sebastian's larger, masculine one. "What _are_ we even to do out in this forest?" She wondered out loud, then added "..Are we adhering to demonic standards of courting or those of the English humans?"

"A bit of both, I presume." Sebastian responded, beginning to walk deeper into the forest with Aurora moving up to walk alongside him. "I will admit, I haven't courted a demoness since I've been contracted to my master." He intentionally left out the parts about how he had successfully "courted" human women in order to get information out of them for his master. It wouldn't be very polite of him to speak of such occurrences with his current "lady friend", now would it?

"If we are playing by the rules of demons.." Aurora began, dropping her hand from Sebastian's. "Then we should reveal to each other our respective contract seals."

Aurora's hands were adorned by emerald green gloves slightly beyond wrist length. They had frills at the opening ends and solferino stitches encompassing the wrist. While other maids wore dresses with long sleeves and no gloves, Aurora had chosen short sleeves to go better with the gloves that she did wear for a reason. They were there to conceal her demonic characteristics.

Aurora slid her left glove off, revealing long, black nails on the tips of her fingers as well as a unique pentagram on the back of her caramel hand.

In the center of Aurora's contract seal was a star drawn with connecting lines in solferino purple. Surrounding this main star were ten, smaller stars in emerald green. The ring encasing the whole seal consisted of two, intertwined lines: One in that same solferino purple, and another in emerald green.

Sebastian suddenly took Aurora's exposed hand in his, which remained gloved. He leaned forward to examine it before commenting "What an interesting design. I don't know if I've ever seen a contract seal with more than one star upon it."

Aurora ripped her hand out of Sebastian's grasp, donning her glove once more. "I've shown you mine. I expect you to do the same." She told him.

"But of course." Sebastian gave a small bow out of habit, swiftly removing his glove to reveal his own black nails, kept short, and a contract seal unique to him on the back of his alabaster hand.

Aurora took note of Sebastian's seal. The jagged edges of the outer ring, the star in the center consisting of connecting lines, just like hers was. It was intricate yet simple at the same time.

"I've seen better." Aurora huffed, crossing her arms and turning away from the butler. That was a lie. The truth was, she found his contract seal to be quite mesmerizing. She was like a peahen who had been successfully "woo'd" by a peacock and his brilliant tail feathers. What was more, it wasn't too different from how male demons usually courted female ones.

They may have been able to pose as elegant people, but deep down, they were beasts.

"We still lack an activity of sorts." Aurora said suddenly, her back still facing Sebastian. "I expect for you to find something for us to do. I don't care much for strolling in the forest."

"No, I suppose someone like you wouldn't." Sebastian sighed, continuing onward. "No.. Someone like you would prefer a pond such as the one back at the park, wouldn't they?"

Aurora's solferino eyes widened a bit. Yes, she did secretly enjoy the pond back at the park despite the fact that she hadn't gotten a good look at it. It was only natural for a dragonfly demon like herself to be drawn to something that would attract any ordinary dragonfly. Yet there was no way for him to know what kind of demon she was in the first place. Just how perceptive was he?

She shook it off, following after Sebastian. She still expected him to find an activity to keep her entertained on their "tryst".

Aurora was surprised when she and Sebastian reached the edge of the forest, finding themselves at the brim of a field covered in wildflowers.

Sebastian knelt down, examining a purple flower that Aurora knew to be meadow sage. It was a plant known to attract dragonflies for one reason or another.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" He asked her as he began to pick a few sprigs, doing so until he had a small bouquet that he then offered to the demoness.

"Yes, they are." Aurora responded, pretending not to be surprised by the gesture as she took the bouquet, It really was as if he knew.

Aurora looked over to see that Sebastian had stood up and was removing his tailcoat. She was about to ask him what he was up to when he suddenly laid it across a log, gesturing for her to come and sit.

The demoness came over to the log, sitting down where Sebastian had intended for her to on top of his tailcoat to protect her own clothing from dirt, bugs or any other impurities that may be on the log other than the demoness herself. Sebastian sat beside her, gazing out into the field of flowers as the wind picked up and billowed their hair in the breeze.

"I thought it would be best not to wander into the tall grass with the flowers." He told her. "..There could be ticks hiding in it. Most unpleasant."

"Yes.." Aurora gazed down at the bouquet of meadow sage in her hands. "I've removed several ticks from humans before. Many of them fell ill as a result of the bites."

"Oh? And what business did you have with those humans?" Sebastian asked, knowing that a demon wouldn't have done such a thing simply to be nice.

Aurora lifted her head, her green pigtails billowing in the breeze as she responded. "I've served many masters from the role of a nurse. I even served a general in the revolutionary war, protecting him and treating his soldiers. The patriots won many battles because their general had me at his disposal."

"Then you haven't limited yourself to soul-searching just within this continent, either." Sebastian thought to his adventures in Egypt taking place some time ago, and the pharaohs that he had met. It really wasn't so surprising that either of them would travel around the world in search for human souls. Distances that would be considered great to humans were significantly less so for demons.

Aurora shook her head. "I've spent quite a lot of time in North America, serving masters as a slave, as well. I've seen humans do horrific things to one another over things that demons like you and I would find frivolous. They have a whole hierarchy based on skin color alone."

This came as no surprise to Sebastian. He had been alive long enough to know how humans were more diabological than demons. His master had helped to teach him that.

"Knowing that, why have you chosen such a complexion for this human form of yours?" Sebastian began to ask her. "There aren't very many English folk with caramel skin, and European beauty standards-"

Aurora glanced down at her arm, inspecting the skin that was caramel as he had said. "I know." She responded, cutting him off. "But I've taken on the role of a dark skinned woman so many times in North America that it's simply become part of my default appearance, and I quite like my default appearance. I'm not so concerned about beauty standards. When you play the role of a female slave, someone viewed as vermin, beauty doesn't matter. But even so.. I've been able to seduce white men plenty of times when the situation has called for it. They don't care that you're vermin to society, if they're desperate enough. It is incredible what humans will do out of desperation."

"Agreed." Sebastian nodded to her before gazing back out into the field of wildflowers. "..Especially what they will do to each other."

Although Elizabeth had spent a good while crying, she didn't feel as light and free as she would have hoped afterwards. She was still bearing a heavy weight on her chest that was anchoring her down. Her secret contract and Aurora's true identity as a demon only contributed to a fraction of that weight, whereas the rest was due to the things that had happened to her during her disappearance. A part of Elizabeth wanted desperately to reveal these secrets to her fiancee beside her, but the other part wanted nothing more than to take the secrets with her to the grave.

Ciel didn't press Elizabeth about her secrets, especially while she was in such a vulnerable state. Although he didn't want to admit it, it hurt him to see her hurting, and all because he had failed to protect her. He began to wonder once more if these feelings he was experiencing were the same ones that his fiancee felt when he returned from the fire as a changed person who no longer smiled. Elizabeth had been trying so desperately to get him to smile and be happy ever since then, and now, she could barely smile herself.

" _Lizzy, what's happened to you?"_ Ciel asked himself as he held his fiancee close in a rare display of affection, trying to comfort her and show her that he really did care. " _What was so horrific that you sold your beautiful soul to a demon?"_ Ciel's eye had been closed as he held Elizabeth, squeezing it shut even tighter as he thought about these things. But suddenly, some other thoughts came to him, and Ciel's eye opened wide. What were the terms of the contract between Aurora and Elizabeth, and how long would it be until their contract was fulfilled and his fiancee's flame was snuffed out?

There wasn't much time for Ciel to dwell on these thoughts before he heard the rustling of leaves and the crunching of twigs on the ground coming from the forest. Sebastian and Aurora were returning.

Ciel wiped his fiancee's face once more with his handkerchief, trying to make her look more presentable as the demons approached. Elizabeth reluctantly pulled away from her betrothed's embrace, sitting up right to face the servants.

"Back already?" Ciel huffed, gazing up at Sebastian with his visible eye. "I would have expected you to be gone longer."

"Yes, well.." Sebastian put a hand to his chest, smiling. "As much as we enjoyed talking and getting to know each other, Aurora and I heard and were troubled by Lady Elizabeth's weeping, so we figured that we shouldn't stay away for too long."

Getting to know each other, huh? Ciel eyed the bouquet of meadow sage in Aurora's hands before he gazed back up at Sebastian and said "..So you came back because you doubted my ability to comfort my fiancee."

"I wouldn't have put it quite like that, sir." Sebastian responded, and Ciel scoffed.

"Whatever. Let's be on our way." He grabbed his walking stick and rose from the bench, offering his other hand out to Elizabeth who had all but stopped crying.

"I'm so sorry, Ciel." She let out in the remains of her tears. "You've brought me to a most lovely park for a tryst, and I cried for nearly the whole occasion!" Elizabeth didn't hesitate to rub at her eyes this time. Her make-up was doomed from the moment that the waterworks began.

"Don't worry about that." Ciel responded, still holding his hand out to her. "I should be grateful that I was blessed with even an ounce of your radiant presence. Come, now. I wish to treat you."

Elizabeth gazed up at Ciel in surprise. "Treat me? Whatever do you mean?"

"It's occurred to me that you may be in need of a new wardrobe." Ciel told her, referring to how Elizabeth had lost weight, making her current clothing too loose on her. "I'd be more than happy to provide you with that, if you'll allow me to."

Elizabeth's eyes softened, and she managed a small smile. "I.. Yes, that would be lovely." She placed her hand in Ciel's, allowing herself to be whisked away to the carriage.

Aurora lingered behind under the black alder tree, gazing down at the bundle of meadow sage in her hands. He had impressed her, and she foolishly let her guard down around him. She could not allow it to happen again. She set the bouquet of flowers down on the bench, leaving them behind along with any affable feelings towards Sebastian.


End file.
